Health Technician-Ophthalmology

Health Technician-Ophthalmology full performance level duties include, but aren't limited to the following:

Provides technical clinical care to patients who have received care provided by Ophthalmologists for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care & patient counseling
Performs screening procedures such as patient history, pupil responses, visual acuity & color vision testing
Performs highly technical procedures using complex medical equipment, such as keratometry, tonometry, measuring eye's optical status, pachymetry, topography, ultrasonography, scanning laser imaging, retinal photography & angiography, electrophysiology, etc
Performs intraocular measurements used by surgeons to select appropriate lens implant for cataract surgery
Scrubs in & assists w/ surgical procedures including injections, minor & major operative procedures: wound revisions, eyelid lesion biopsies, cultures conjunctiva or cornea; reformation of anterior chamber, evacuates hyphema, repositions corneal endothelial grafts, intra-vitreous injections & laser surgical procedures
Instills ophthalmic pharmaceutical agents, places/removes eye dressings/shields
Maintains/calibrates/tests equipment
Obtains patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit; pertinent signs/symptoms; past history both ocular & general; family history both ocular & general; social history & medication/allergy review, including current ocular prescription/non-prescription medications
Tests visual acuity at distance & near, w/ & w/out correction or w/ & w/out pinhole
Measures eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, records sphere, cylinder, axis & prism in both plus & minus cylinder
Evaluates pupil: records size, shape, symmetry, reaction to light & accommodation & any abnormalities, including relative afferent pupillary defect
Performs basic refractometry uses auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in phoropter
Instills eye medications: i.e., drop or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilation, cycloplegic, or antibiotics
Measures intraocular eye pressure using techniques including Goldman applanation tonometry
Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness & manual keratometry or automated topography to detinning corneal curvature
Performs intra-ocular lens calculations using IOL Master
Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines
Performs external & fundus photography
Performs Optical Coherence Tomography, of anterior segment, retina & optic nerve
Performs urgent ocular patient screening/triages
Educates patients & legal authorized representatives in eye care, including preoperative & postoperative instructions
Educates/trains medical students, residents & fellows
Ensures proper cleaning & disinfection; calibration, maintenance, backup, annual inventory & orders: instruments, supplies & equipment; obtains quotes as needed & reports needed repairs to biomedical engineering
Maintains current BLS course certification
Protects printed & electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance w/ Privacy Act of 1974 provisions & other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes & policies
Protects data from unauthorized release or from loss; alteration or unauthorized deletion
Follows applicable regulations & instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc
Demonstrates I-Care values when interacting w/ all internal/external customers
Maintains current knowledge of & practices according to The Joint Commission requirements
Protects printed & electronic files containing sensitive data according to Federal privacy Act & confidentiality statutes
Follows regulations & instructions regarding release of sensitive/protected patient/ employee information
May serve on Service Line/VISN 19/medical center committees, workgroups, &/or task forces, etc
Performs other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year: 13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection w/ the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees w/ a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to monthly maximum of $416.66
Retirement: Traditional federal pension-5 years vesting, & federal 401K w/ up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care, many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement
Telework: Not available
Functional Statement #:PD51477A